Do you think a women's size 16 is fat?

[LegencyMonsters]

Met a friend for coffee today and we got onto the topic of weight.

I mentioned that I used to be a size 16 and said I’m glad I’m not that size anymore as I was fat. She disagreed, saying a size 16 isn’t fat and pointed out that it’s actually the average size for women in the UK. I replied that while it may be the average, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not fat.

Would you consider a size 16 to be fat or not?

AIBU - YES - of course!
YANBU - NO - Not fat at all!

I’m genuinely unsure why people mention this a lot, past a point of interest, the op is not asking if you were a size 16, 40 or 50 years ago were you fat she’s asking about today

and I think that an average waist size of 35 inches is overweight for most women, even if we discount bmi and use height to waist, where you should have a waist measurement of less than half your height, you’d have to be 5 foot 11 for that to be not overweight.

so as most women are not 5 foot 11 and over, whichever way you cut it. It will be overweight.

and I use overweight as I think the word fat is causing all the upset.

That's the size I wear and I'm fat. Muscular too, but not tall.

A tall woman might not be fat with that dress size. Really depends on height and body shape and composition.

I was obese when size 16

Depends on a lot of things. I'm a 14 and definitely fat

Yes.
Speaking for myself and applying this on myself only, if I become bigger than 10 - 12 at 47 yo and 5'8", I would be extremely unhappy and "doing something about it".

That's such a 'how long is a piece of string' question.

Being size 16 at - say - 5ft nothing - would obviously be classed as overweight.
Being size 16 at - say - 5ft 10 inches - would probably be a normal size.

And then there's body shape, muscle mass, frame size etc.

She edited the part about her chest after I already quoted and replied so I didn't see that bit. So get off your high horse with your 'As the lady in the thread you quoted explained.'

Just looked at the poll, over 80% think a size 16 is indeed fat.

I’m 5ft 5 and a size 14-16. I definitely am overweight and have some chub to get rid of

I dont think a size 16 is high. Go anywhere and you can see most of the UK women (and men) are over weight.
The room I'm sat in now has 4 women in plus myself and 2 are a size 16, one is a size 20 and the other is a 12.

I think it depends on your current size tbh whether you think size 16 is fat or not.

A size 8-12 is going to think size 16 is fat. But a size 20-22 is going to think size 16 is not.

I’m 5’8.5, so a bit taller than average. If I were a size 16, I’d definitely be fat.

I'd say it was hefty. Which is probably worse than fat. It certainly isn't slim.

Not surprising. For many years it's been designated as the size where "fat" begins. Plus size began at 16, standard size runs ended at 16. But as people have pointed out, sizing is more inconsistent than it's ever been and people carry weight and size differently. And while obviously some people are objectively fat, 16 is usually around the point where there's some subjectivity to it.

Honestly it's a pointless metric for anything other than fitting clothes and it's no longer very good even for that. If you want to know if you're overweight, check your BMI. If you're so unusually tall or muscular that it's been thrown off, you'll know.

Exactly. I can't understand why anyone would use clothes sizes, which vary enormously, as a measure of their body size. BMI may have its flaws but it's a heck of a lot more reliable than dress size. If you're within a healthy BMI you are very unlikely to be 'fat'. If you have a small frame, you might be over your personal ideal weight, you might look a bit more rounded or flabby at BMI 25, but you're unlikely to fall into a category where people would look at you and think 'she's fat'.

I just measured my waist - 86.5cm, a shade over 34”. I am 170cm, 5’7”, so my waist is above half my height. Not massively so, but it is. Therefore, I am fatter than is ideal for good health. But I’m wearing size 16’s from M&S, Next, White Stuff, Seasalt Cornwall. And they all fit fine.

I’m genuinely unsure why people mention this a lot

Because it illustrates how pointless it is to use dress size as a metric. If you bought half a dozen garments by different brands all labelled the same size today, they’d all have different measurements. My size 10 friend has just bought a size 6 linen shirt from M&S and it fits her.

I agree. I am 5’7 and 12st 8 and I wear a size 16 or occasionally 18. I’m surprised that someone weighing 16st wears size 16 clothes.

I agree. I’m 5’7 and 12st 8 and wear a size 16 and occasionally 18. I’m surprised that someone weighing 16st wears size 16 but everyone is different.

Sizing is honestly nonsense tbh. Different shops are all over the place.

When I had a BMI of 27 (so clinically overweight, I'd def have called myself fat) I often fit into a size 8-10 in supermarket clothes and couldn't even get the zipper shut in H&M lol.

Now I'm BMI 19, I range from a 6 in some shops to a 12 in others.

I've also seen quite a lot of really much heftier ladies convince themselves they're a size 16 but they're absolutely busting out of their clothes even if 16 is on the label.

I think you can be anything from a bit overweight to fat at size 16, depending on height, build and age. It's a rare woman who would be size 16 and not at least a bit overweight.

Age can make a difference though, because fat distribution shifts around when you get older and wearing a bigger size is often more comfortable. I am the same height, weight and build I was when I got married, but my wedding dress - which fitted perfectly on my wedding day 25 years ago - is uncomfortably tight around my waist now. I was a size 12 then and a 14/16 now.

Well conversely when I was the same weight as you I was a size 12!

Yes when I was 12st 8 I was a size 14.
but at 16st I was a 18, pretending I was a 16 😅

Im now 9st 8lbs and wearing a size 8 jeans and size 8 tops.

I think it very much depends on stature and frame.

For the majority of women yes. I am 5ft 10 and biggest was a 14 and looked fat then.